Balance Your First Chakra

(This is the second part of our series on the Root Chakra – see the first article here.)

Our chakras begin to form in the womb. This is also where trust – crucial to the development of the first chakra – is formed. If, however, our trust is betrayed in youth, our first chakra can become imbalanced, creating low self-esteem, lack of boundaries and an overall feeling of not having a right to be here. Healing begins when we become aware of the resultant inner states and behavioral patterns, and decide to change them. To do this, we must regain contact with our bodies – which can be an act of tremendous courage.

Below is a list of foods, exercises and meditations to help bring balance to our first and most important chakra.

Foods

Meats and proteins are grounding foods. This not only includes red and other fleshy meats, but also protein supplements, nuts, tofu, eggs and dairy products. It’s important to note, however, that red meats should only be moderately consumed. Red meat takes longer to digest and can keep the energy contained in the lower part of the body, blocking its flow to the higher chakras.

Exercises

Jumping, jogging and stretching our legs are the best exercises for our root chakra. By engaging in these acts, we are effectively connecting ourselves to the earth, our physical ground. Being close and connected to the earth is an essential part of grounding, and the act of jumping, jogging and stretching brings energy into our legs and lower extremities; the closest areas to the root chakra. Hatha Yoga is also an incredibly powerful grounding practice.

Meditation

Begin by sitting in a chair with your feet firmly planted on the floor. Imagine an invisible cord running through the top of your head, through your throat, your torso and your root. This will help straighten your spine, creating alignment of the chakras and allowing unrestricted energy to flow through them.

Now, close your eyes and visualize your root chakra (the base of the spine) as a red spinning orb of energy. Begin breathing slowly, deeply and deliberately into the chakra. Notice how it feels on each in-breath and each out. How does the energy shift in your body? What do you experience in the chakra? Once comfortable with doing this, bring your attention to your feet. Feel their shape, their heaviness. Now imagine there are roots growing from the bottom of your feet, growing deeper and deeper into the earth, down to its core. Feel the grounding qualities this gentle act brings.

Now begin to draw the energy of the earth from these roots up into your legs, then your knees, into your thighs, into the whole of your pelvis and ultimately your root chakra. Continue drawing in this way, feeding your first chakra with the earth’s grounding energy. Sit with this energy for as long as you like, feeling it grounding you.

When you’re ready, begin visualizing and feeling the energy moving from your root chakra to just below the naval, then into the solar plexus, from here to the heart, from the heart to the middle of the throat, from the throat to the third eye (middle of the forehead), and from the third eye to the top of your head. From the top of your head, feel and visualize the energy reaching to the sky, past the sky, into space and ultimately into your conception of Source.

When you feel this connection, sit with it for as long as you like, and when you are ready, reverse the flow of energy. Take it from Source into your crown (top of the head), back down through each point and then deeply into the root chakra.

Allow yourself the time to sit and feel the pure energy of Source coursing through you. Feel your connection and oneness with it. Feel its beauty, its simplicity, its accepting, unconditional and all-encompassing healing and loving energy. Realize that all of this is you, that Source is you and that when you are grounded in yourself, Source is grounded in you.

What are you own favorite techniques for balancing your root chakra?